Mutsu Province (1868) facts for kids
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Mutsu Province (陸奥国, Mutsu no kuni) was an old part of Japan. It was also known as Rikuō Province (陸奥国, Rikuō no kuni). Think of it like a very old state or region. This area is now mostly Iwate Prefecture and Aomori Prefecture on the large island of Honshū. People also called it Ōshū (奥州) or Rikushū (陸州). Mutsu Province existed for a short time, from 1868 to 1872.
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What Was Mutsu Province?
Long ago, Japan was divided into many different areas called provinces. Mutsu Province was one of the biggest. It covered a large part of northern Honshū, which is Japan's main island.
This province was important for a few years during a big change in Japan. It helped organize the country before modern prefectures were created.
A Look at Its History
The story of Mutsu Province is part of a major time in Japanese history called the Meiji period. This period began in 1868. During the Meiji period, Japan went through many fast and big changes.
One of these changes was how the country was governed. The old system of provinces was replaced.
How Japan Changed Its Provinces
In the 1870s, Japan decided to update its way of dividing the land. The old provinces, like Mutsu, were changed into new areas called prefectures. This was done to make the government more modern and efficient.
So, Mutsu Province was split into several new prefectures. This is why its history as a single province ended in 1872. The maps of Japan were redrawn to show these new divisions.
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